


Chasing Cars

by Cumbermarvel (UglyJackal)



Series: IronStrange Week May 14 - May 20 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: IronStrange Week May 2018, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 09:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14713557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UglyJackal/pseuds/Cumbermarvel
Summary: IronStrange Week Prompt 4: New York City





	Chasing Cars

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

The towering skyscrapers of New York City reached up to touch the stars above them, as they stood next to Tony's car on the pavement. They had just come out of a restaurant, having stopped for a meal, and now Tony had asked Stephen to get into his car so that they could go for a drive. And Stephen's stomach had plummeted into his shoes.

'Why don't we just use a portal?' he asked.

'Because I don't want to go to a destination,' Tony replied.

The sorcerer swallowed thickly. He didn't have an excuse. But he didn't want Tony to see him as weak for not wanting to get into the car. His accident was still fresh in his mind; whenever he saw news of car crashes on the news, or even just dramatic high-speed car chases on films, he could feel his heart rate accelerate - just like he had down that winding road - and his palms start to prickle with sweat, and he had to change the channel. If seeing someone drive made him feel like that, then what on earth would he feel if he was sitting in a car.

He looked at Tony and nodded. The car was unlocked and Stephen got into the passenger side, while Tony got behind the steering wheel. Stephen felt quite calm; hands dry, heart rate normal, no flashes of the crash in his head, and he relaxed into the seat, confident that he had been worrying for nothing.

Until Tony started the engine and started to pull away from the side of the road.

Then Stephen felt his stomach lurch with fear and he felt as though he was going to be violently sick. His hands - damp with sweat - clenched hard into fists. He glanced at Tony, but he was focused on the road, and hadn't noticed his boyfriend's fear.

As they were driving along the road, the skyscrapers of New York seemed to bend and cave in on the car, threatening to crush them, to burst a tire and send them careering into another car, to flip them over and break their necks. Stephen looked away from the buildings and his gaze settled on the cars coming towards them. Although they were on the opposite side of the road, the cars seemed to be veering towards them, intent on hammering themselves into the front of the car, sending the both of them into the windscreen. Every so often, the sorcerer let a quiet squeak, as he thought the car was about to crash into something or someone.

And then they weren't moving anymore.

They had pulled up on the side of the road again.

Stephen's breathing was not slowing in its pace, however. If anything, the panic rose in his throat, making him pant even quicker. This was it; Tony was about to look at him and say that he didn't want to be in a relationship with someone who couldn't even sit in a car for two minutes, that he was too fucked up to love.

Tony's hands were on the side of his face in an instant. He pulled Stephen to face him. 'Focus on my breathing,' the engineer said, 'in... out... in... out... good, you're doing good, honey.'

He smiled sadly and wiped some tears away from Stephen's face. 'I'm sorry,' the sorcerer mumbled, 'I'm so sorry... that I... that I can't... I just... the accident, it-'

'Hey, hey,' his boyfriend said, 'you don't have to explain yourself. I should have realised, and I'm so sorry that I didn't.' He pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of Stephen's nose.

'No... it's not your fault, I should have said something,' the taller man said, 'I shouldn't be so fucking bothered by being in a car, it's dumb.'

'Stephen, your crash cost you everything,' Tony protested, 'if I were in your shoes, I'd be scared of cars too.'

This made Stephen cry harder, and Tony gathered him into a hug, kissing the side of his boyfriend's neck. 'We'll go home,' he said into the other's ear, 'and we'll curl up on the sofa and watch one of those stupid comedies that you like, yeah?'

The sorcerer laughed and nodded. 'I like the sound of that,' he said.

When he looked out of the window again, all of the cars seemed to be keeping well away from them, and the skyscrapers of New York had straightened up again to reach up and away from them, any previous murderous intent gone.


End file.
